Thursday, October 06, 2011

Parting ways with a good one...

As the (at least western) world mourns the loss of Steve Jobs today, it is only fitting we cite a few gems he's shared with us over the years that inevitably led to the accomplishments, achievements, and legacy he created over the last 56 years...

“Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” — Steve Jobs, at a Stanford University commencement ceremony in 2005

"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life".

"I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance"

"That's been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there you can move mountains"

"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful, that's what matters to me"

There are a great many more one could share, but the great takeaway for me is not that these are great quotes... it is that these were the fundamental philosophies guiding Steve's remarkable life that served as input for the outcome we all marvel at.

One final quote, from Steve, on this exact point - "you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life".